Pressure mounts on Bill O'Reilly

[superbeets]

Pressure mounts on Bill O'Reilly as 22 companies now pull ads from his Fox News show amid sexual harassment allegations as National Organization for Women calls for him to be fired

Twenty-two companies have pulled their ads from Bill O'Reilly's show after a report revealed women had accused the Fox News host of sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and inappropriate behavior. O'Reilly's show may be taking a financial hit after BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Ainsworth, Constant Contact, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Allstate, Esurance, Untuckit, Mitsubishi, T. Rowe Price, Credit Karma, Lexus, Bayer, Wayfair, Orkin, True Car, MileIQ, The Wonderful Company, and the Society for Human Resources Management all announced they would be removing their ads. The list is expected to grow, with the Sleeping Giants setting their sights on The O'Reilly's Factor after the anonymous group first launched a campaign that led Breitbart to lose more than 1750 advertisers. The backlash comes after a report in The New York Times revealed O'Reilly and Fox News paid five women $13 million to settle four cases of sexual harassment and one incident of verbal abuse in the past 15 years. In addition to the five women, Wendy Walsh, a regular on his show, along with Andrea Tantaros, a former Fox News host, also accused the 67-year-old of inappropriate behavior. The National Organization for Women is now calling for Fox News to fire O'Reilly, saying the network is 'too big and too influential to simply let this go'.

 

[superbeets]

[h=1]Backlash avalanche: TWENTY-TWO companies pull ads from Bill O'Reilly's show after TV show host is mired in sexual harassment allegations[/h]

• Twenty-two companies have pulled advertisements from Bill O'Reilly's show
• Mitsubishi, T. Rowe Price, Credit Karma, Lexus, Bayer, Wayfair, all joined growing list of companies trying to distance themselves after report emerged Saturday
• It remains unclear whether the move will hurt Fox revenue, since an executive said the ads will appear on different shows on the network
• List is set to grow since Sleeping Giants, an anonymous group that first launched a campaign against Breitbart, will now set its sights on O'Reilly's advertisers
• O'Reilly and Fox News allegedly paid five women $13million to settle four cases of sexual harassment and one incident of verbal abuse in the past 15 years
• In addition to the five, another two accused O'Reilly of inappropriate behavior
• The National Organization for Women called for O'Reilly to be fired on Tuesday

 

[Dave007inVegas]

I think this is a combination of him being a horndog and
some smart women taking advantage of that fact. As for him
being fired that's not going to happen as long as show remains
number 1 of all cable news. There will always be companies to
replace those who stop buying advertising.

This is hardly news since it's been going on for 15 years.
If it was going to happen it already would have.

 

[bigwang]

Catholic school and upbringing created a socially awkward guy who probably didn't get laid until his mid 20s. The loser gets some fame and money later in life and uses it to force himself on women. All of that hush money paid out and he never even got pussy. Pathetic. Guy is a hypocrite and a joke.

 

[superbeets]

[h=1]Signed, sealed, delivered, he's out: Murdoch and sons announce that Bill O'Reilly will NOT be returning to Fox News as the disgraced host meets the Pope on vacation with his son in Rome[/h][h=1]

• Bill O'Reilly is out at Fox News after 20 years on the cable news network
• Rupert Murdoch made the announcement in a letter signed by himself and sons James and Lachlan, who reportedly urged their father to fire O'Reilly
• Fox News sources say that Tucker Carlson will move to 8pm, 'The Five' will move to 9pm and Sean Hannity will stay in his 10pm slot
• Fox News did not respond to a request for comment
• O'Reilly was in Vatican City with his son on Wednesday where he met with Pope Francis
• The popular Fox News host recently signed a multiyear contract worth over $20million a year

[/h]

 

[superbeets]

Bill O'Reilly is out at Fox News.
Rupert Murdoch announced that he was terminating the network's most popular host in a letter on Wednesday afternoon that was signed by himself and his two sons, Lachlan and James.
Rupert reportedly made this decision to fire O'Reilly after being pressured by his two sons.
'After a thorough and careful review of the allegations,the company and Bill O’Reilly have agreed that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel,' 21st century Fox said in a statement
O'Reilly, who recently signed a multiyear contract worth over $20million a year, was halfway around the world on Wednesday, meeting Pope Francis in Vatican City.
The popular host was in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday morning with his son for Pope Francis' weekly address, and afterwards stood in a VIP line to shake hands with the holy leader.
Pope Francis likely had no idea whose hand he was shaking however as the pontiff has said in interviews that he does not watch television.
Scroll down for video

+17

Farewell friend: Bill O'Reilly (above last June) is out at Fox News after 20 years with the network

+17

Big day: O'Reilly was in Vatican City with his son on Wednesday where he met with Pope Francis (above)

+17

Time to go: Rupert Murdoch was reportedly pressured to fire the host by his two sons, James and Lachlan (l to r: Lachlan, Rupert and James Murdoch in March 2016)

+17

Decree: Rupert Murdoch made the announcement in a letter signed by himself and sons James and Lachlan (above)

Fox News announced that starting on Monday, Tucker Carlson will move to 8pm, 'The Five' will move to 9pm and Sean Hannity will stay in his 10pm slot.
Eric Bolling will take over in the 5pm slot formerly occupied by The Five beginning on May 1, and Martha MacCallum will stay on in the 7pm hour.
The new lineup of 'The Five' will feature: Kimberly Guilfoyle, Dana Perino, Bob Beckel, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters and Juan Williams.
Both 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' and 'The Five' will air live each night.

 

[SheriffJoe]

Murdoch's sons are as left as they come.

Once they completely take over, Fox News will be further left than MSNBC.

 

[superbeets]

New York reported earlier in the day on Wednesday that executives at Fox News were reportedly discussing the best way to sever ties with O'Reilly ahead of a 21st Century Fox board meeting on Thursday, during which O'Reilly is expected to be the primary talking point.
Fox News staffer reportedly felt that O'Reilly would be staying on last week, but Rupert is said to have had a change of heart after speaking with his two sons.
James had wanted O'Reilly out from the start while Lachlan was on the fence.
Lachlan then reportedly changed his mind on the matter when his wife convinced him that O'Reilly had to go.
This comes one day after a new accuser came forward to make sexual harassment allegations against O'Reilly.
Several unnamed Fox News employees are preparing to file additional complaints against the network, according to their attorney Doug Wigdor. He said the allegations will ‘shed further light on the abhorrent, intolerable, and unlawful working conditions that our clients have been forced to endure.’
Wigdor told Dailymail.com on Wednesday that he expects to file ‘a handful’ of complaints against the network ‘in the coming days.’ He declined to comment on whether the specific allegations included sexual harassment.
In a press statement, Wigdor also rejected claims by O’Reilly’s attorney that the Fox News host is the target of a ‘smear campaign’ orchestrated by ‘far-left organizations bent on destroying O’Reilly. Wigdor said he backed Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and frequently watches Fox News.
‘I can categorically deny, and find it offensive, that my Firm is being accused of being controlled by far-left organizations,’ he said.
Wigdor is representing several current and former Fox News employees who are currently suing the network for racial discrimination.

+17

Moving on up: Tucker Carlson (above) will reportedly be taking over for O'Reilly at 8pm

+17

Welcome to primetime: The Five will tape live at 9pm every night starting Monday ( l to r: Hosts Kimberly Guilfoyle, Bob Beckel, Eric Bolling, Dana Perino and Greg Gutfeld)

+17

+17

Gunning it: Jesse Watters (left) will join 'The Five' and Sean Hannity (right last week with Megyn Kelly) will stay in his 10pm slot

Attorney Lisa Bloom told The Hollywood Reporter that the woman in question worked for another network back in 2008 but had a desk near O'Reilly's office, and claimed that he would refer to the African-American woman as 'hot chocolate' when he walked by during the day.
The woman is not asking for any money, just 'accountability' according to Bloom.
'He would never talk to her, not even hello, except to grunt at her like a wild boar,' alleged Bloom on O'Reilly's treatment of this latest alleged victim.
'He would leer at her. He would always do this when no one else was around and she was scared.'
Marc E Kasowitz, attorney for Bill O’Reilly said in a statement: 'Bill O’Reilly has been subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America.
'This law firm has uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by a far-left organization bent on destroying O’Reilly for political and financial reasons.
'That evidence will be put forth shortly and is irrefutable.'
An earlier statement from O'Reilly's lawyer said: 'It is outrageous that an allegation from an anonymous person about something that purportedly happened a decade ago is being treated as fact, especially when there is an obviously orchestrated campaign by activists and lawyers to destroy Mr. O'Reilly and enrich themselves through publicity driven donations.'

+17

+17

+17

+17

Viewership of 'The O'Reilly Factor' dropped 26 per cent in the days after he went on vacation.
Nielsen company figures show that so far Bolling did the best with his 3.11million viewership, down 16 per cent from O'Reilly's performance a week earlier.
The 2.32million who watched Gutfeld on Friday was down 39 per cent from the previous Friday.
O'Reilly's viewership spiked in the days following the report on the harassment allegations.
In the week that followed, viewership increased to an average of 3.71 million, up 12 per cent from the week before the report and 28 per cent over the same week in 2016.
It has still remained the most watched cable news show and won its timeslot.
Bloom is also representing Dr. Wendy Walsh, who previously accused O'Reilly of harassment.
Walsh said that in 2013 O'Reilly asked her to dinner one night at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles and then made the network contributor an offer, telling her that he was friends with Roger Ailes and could make secure the lucrative position for the psychotherapist.
It was after dinner when things began to shift according to Walsh, who said that O'Reilly asked her to come up to his hotel suite.
She politely declined and decided to steer the two towards the bar, where she claims O'Reilly became hostile over drinks and said she could forget his career advice.
Then, as a coup de grace, Walsh claims that O'Reilly said her purse was ugly.

+17

First case: The first known person to accuse O'Reilly of sexual harassment at Fox News was Andrea Mackris (above with her lawyer in 2004)

It was revealed earlier this month that five women had been paid by the network after making accusations against the popular host.
Walsh was not one of those women and had never publicly accused O'Reilly until the release of The New York Times report.
The report claimed that close to $13 million had been paid to five women who accused O'Reilly of inappropriate behavior in the workplace: Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, Andrea Mackris, Rebecca Gomez Diamond, Laurie Dhue, and Juliet Huddy.
It was Mackris' lawsuit that made headlines when it was settled back in 2004 by the network for a formerly undisclosed sum which over the weekend was revealed to be $9million.
In her complaint, Mackris claimed she had been sexually harassed by O'Reilly and detailed their phone sex conversations in which he allegedly listed off his female conquests.
O'Reilly also allegedly detailed a sex fantasy he had about Mackris using 'that little loofah thing' in the shower, but towards the end accidentally called it a 'falafel thing'.
According to the complaint, O'Reilly called Mackris one night to inform her he was watching pornography and then began to engage in a phone sex fantasy about having her come to the Caribbean with him.
'So anyway I’d be rubbing your big boobs and getting your nipples really hard, kinda kissing your neck from behind... and then I would take the other hand with the falafel thing and I’d put it on your p***y, but you’d have to do it really light, just kind of a tease business,' said O'Reilly according to court papers filed by Mackris.
[h=3]O'REILLY 'SUBJECTED TO BRUTAL CAMPAIGN OF CHARACTER ASSASSINATION'[/h]Marc E Kasowitz, attorney for Bill O’Reilly said in a statement: 'Bill O’Reilly has been subjected to a brutal campaign of character assassination that is unprecedented in post-McCarthyist America.
'This law firm has uncovered evidence that the smear campaign is being orchestrated by far-left organization bent on destroying O’Reilly for political and financial reasons.
'That evidence will be put forth shortly and is irrefutable.'

​

Her complaint went on to say that during his monologue O'Reilly also suggested Mackris perform oral sex on his 'big c***' and that 'it became clear that he was using a vibrator upon himself and had ejaculated.'
When the two reached a settlement a statement was released from both parties that said 'no wrongdoing whatsoever' occurred while Mackris worked with O'Reilly.
She was also not allowed to speak about the suit in public before or after the settlement, while O'Reilly was able to say that Mackris' complaint was 'the single most evil thing I have ever experienced' to his millions of viewers.
Mackris was also written about negatively in a number of articles at the time.
It was seven years until the next woman received a settlement, with Diamond being handed an unknown amount from O'Reilly himself according to multiple sources after confronting him with a recording of comments he had made to and about her while she worked as a host on the Fox Business Network show 'Happy Hour.'
The payout was so secretive that 21st Century Fox was not even aware of the what had transpired between the two parties until last year, when it was revealed during an internal investigation into sexual harassment claims being brought against Ailes.
Laurie Dhue, who worked as a reporter on the television show Geraldo at Large and was the host of Fox Report Weekend for eight years between 2000 and 2008 also received a payout after accusing Ailes and O'Reilly of sexual harassment.
She received $1million over the summer from the network, shortly after she announced her plan to write a tell-all book.

+17

+17

The network quietly paid Dhue (left) more than $1million in 2016 after the anchor claimed she was sexually harassed by both O'Reilly and Ailes while Huddy (right) got $1.6million

Fox News also settled with Huddy for $1.6million back in September after she claimed that O'Reilly had tried to pursue a sexual relationship with her while she appeared on the network as a guest on his show.
Huddy stated that O'Reilly would repeatedly call her at home in Long Island and once tried to kiss her, which caused her to fall over as she pulled away from the host.
Soon after she stopped being asked to appear on O'Reilly's program.
Both Dhue and Huddy's stories had been reported before, but it was not known Dhue had complained about O'Reilly's behavior in addition to Ailes.
The fifth settlement came back in 2002 after O'Reilly reportedly screamed at junior producer Rachel Witlieb Bernstein, who left soon after with a settlement.
That incident did not involve sexual harassment.
O'Reilly fired back soon after the release of the report, releasing a personal statement on his website in which he said that he had to consider his children when settling these claims.
'Just like other prominent and controversial people, I'm vulnerable to lawsuits from individuals who want me to pay them to avoid negative publicity. In my more than 20 years at Fox News Channel, no one has ever filed a complaint about me with the Human Resources Department, even on the anonymous hotline,' O'Reilly began his statement.
'But most importantly, I'm a father who cares deeply for my children and who would do anything to avoid hurting them in any way. And so I have put to rest any controversies to spare my children.'
He added: 'Those of us in the arena are constantly at risk, as are our families and children. My primary efforts will continue to be to put forth an honest TV program and to protect those close to me.'
O'Reilly has a daughter Madeline, 18, and son Spencer, 13, with his ex-wife Maureen.
The couple divorced in 2011, and it was in the years after that divorce that three of the five women who received settlements claimed they were sexually harassed by O'Reilly.
He currently makes $18million annually as the host of his Fox News show, which he launched back in 1996 at the birth of the network.

+17

Rebecca Diamond (right) a host on the Fox Business Network, revealed her recorded conversations with O'Reilly after the network told her they would not be renewing her contract

O'Reilly made comments similar to his official statement last year while appearing on 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' and defending Ailes after women began coming forward claiming he had sexually harassed them over the years.
'In this country, every famous, powerful or wealthy person is a target,' O'Reilly told Meyers.
'You’re a target. I’m a target. Any time somebody could come out and sue us, attack us, go to the press or anything like that.'
O'Reilly then began to say 'until America,' but quickly interrupted himself to explain what he has to deal with in his life because of his fame.
'It's a deplorable situation because I have to have bodyguards. I have to hire bodyguards, physical bodyguards.'
He then continued with his previous thought, telling Meyers: 'Until the United States adopts the English system of civil law, whereby, if you file a frivolous lawsuit, and you lose, the judge has a right to make you pay all court costs.'
'Until we adopt that very fair proposition, we are going to have this out of control, tabloid society that is tremendously destructive.'
O'Reilly also went after then co-worker Megyn Kelly on CBS This Morning back in November when she publicly accused Ailes of sexual harassment in her memoir.
'I'm not interested in basically litigating something that is finished that makes my network look bad. Okay?' said O'Reilly.
'I'm not interested in making my network look bad at all. That doesn't interest me one bit. '
Kelly, an actual victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, refused to be silenced or shamed by O'Reilly and fired back the following day, saying: 'I believe that Roger Ailes made the company look bad.'
Ailes made a remarkably swift exit from the company back in July, packing up his office just three weeks after he was accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed by former host Gretchen Carlson.
He still managed to walk away with a reported $40million severance package after leaving his post, and maintains that the allegations being made by Carlson in her lawsuit are false.
Carlson recounted a conversation she had with Ailes in September of 2015 in her court filing, during which he allegedly said to her: 'I think you and I should have had a sexual relationship a long time ago and then you'd be good and better and I'd be good and better.'
That conversation allegedly occurred when Carlson went to speak with Ailes about what she believed were discriminatory practices at the network.
The popular host of 'The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson' claimed in her lawsuit that her refusal to have a sexual relationship with her boss was why she was let go on June 23 after 11 years with the network.
She was eventually awarded $20million, and told she could not speak about the lawsuit.
Former Fox News event planner Laurie Luhn received a settlement following her relationship with Ailes, which she claimed required her to perform sexual acts with the man and for two decades and eventually caused her to suffer a mental breakdown.
It was after that breakdown that Luhn decided to tell the network about the years of sexual harassment at the hands of Ailes and how he would allegedly tape her and once forced her to engage in bed with another women while seeking out younger women for him to meet.
The network quickly responded by giving Luhn a $3.15million payout, and making her sign 'extensive nondisclosure provisions.'
It was also revealed just last month that Tamara Holder and 21st Century Fox reportedly worked out a deal in February that awarded the lawyer and author $2.5million following an incident that occurred two years ago.

+17

Other clients: Bloom is also representing Dr. Wendy Walsh (above earlier this month)

Holder, who joined the network in 2010 and has appeared on Hannity and guest hosted The Five, approached Fox News' executive vice president for business and legal affairs Dianne Brandi back in September and alleged that she had been sexually assaulted by Francisco Cortes.
She alleged that Cortes, the vice president of Fox News Latino, tried to force her into performing oral sex on him when the two were alone in his office.
Fox News also fired Cortes, who in 2004 was personally selected by Roger Ailes as the first member of the disgraced CEO's apprentice program.
Kelly wrote about what she saw as problems with the way Ailes handled complaints in her memoir, saying that the 'entire structure was set up to isolate and silence' victims.
Finally, there is Andrea Tantaros, who is still suing the company for $50million.
The former Fox News host claims that Ailes and O'Reilly both subjected her to unwanted sexual advances while she was an employee.
'Fox News masquerades as a defender of traditional family values, but behind the scenes, it operates like a sex-fueled, Playboy Mansion-like cult, steeped in intimidation, indecency and misogyny,' claimed Tantaros in her lawsuit.
Tantaros, 37, went on to claim in the suit that she was taken off the air when she complained about being sexually harassed by Ailes.
She also claimed that Ailes once asked her to perform 'the twirl' for him; said 'come over here so I can give you a hug'; and told her 'I bet you look good in a bikini.'
O'Reilly meanwhile invited Tantaros to his Long island home to stay with him, telling her it would be 'very private' she claimed in her lawsuit, also telling her that he could 'see [her] as a wild girl' and that she had a 'wild side.'
Tantaros said that she and her agent told Shine, Scott, and Brandi about numerous examples of Ailes's alleged harassment.
'Ailes did not act alone,' claims Tantaros in her lawsuit.
'He may have been the primary culprit, but his actions were condoned by his most senior lieutenants, who engaged in a concerted effort to silence Tantaros by threats, humiliation and retaliation.'
In a statement released over the weekend regarding the O'Reilly report, 21st Century Fox said: 'Notwithstanding the fact that no current or former Fox News employee ever took advantage of the 21st Century Fox hotline to raise a concern about Bill O’Reilly, even anonymously, we have looked into these matters over the last few months and discussed them with Mr. O’Reilly.
'While he denies the merits of these claims, Mr. O’Reilly has resolved those he regarded as his personal responsibility. Mr. O’Reilly is fully committed to supporting our efforts to improve the environment for all our employees at Fox News.'
Fox News referenced the 21st Century Fox statement when asked for comment over the weekend.

 

[superbeets]

Read more:

• New Bill O'Reilly Accuser Says He Called Her "Hot Chocolate" and Leered | Hollywood Reporter
• Sources: The Murdochs Are Turning Against Bill O¿Reilly
• Source: Fox News and Bill O'Reilly are talking exit - Apr. 18, 2017
• BREAKING: O¿Reilly Lawyer Gives Statement: ¿Irrefutable Evidence of A Political Smear Campaign¿ | Mediaite
• Sources: Fox News Has Decided Bill O¿Reilly Has to Go
• Sources: Fox News Has Decided Bill O’Reilly Has to Go

 

[superbeets]

Signed, sealed, delivered, he's out: Murdoch and sons announce that Bill O'Reilly will NOT be returning to Fox

 

[superbeets]

[h=2]Signed, sealed, delivered, he's out: Murdoch and sons announce that Bill O'Reilly will NOT be returning to Fox News as the disgraced host meets the Pope on vacation with his son in Rome[/h]

Bill O'Reilly is reportedly out at Fox News. New York reports that Rupert Murdoch has decided to terminate the network's most popular host in the wake of a recent wave of sexual harassment allegations and that the decision will be announced before he returns from vacation next week. Rupert reportedly made this decision after being pressured by his two sons Lachlan and James. O'Reilly had recently signed a $20million-a-year contract just weeks before his termination.

 

[JohnnyMac]

This is hardly news since it's been going on for 15 years.
If it was going to happen it already would have.

I guess you were wrong.

 

[bigwang]

Murdoch's sons are as left as they come.

Once they completely take over, Fox News will be further left than MSNBC.

Or they just don't want such a creepy piece of shit being the face of their tv network.

 

[SheriffJoe]

Or they just don't want such a creepy piece of shit being the face of their tv network.

Yeah, dump O'Reilly but preserve Shepherd Smith. Makes perfect sense.

 

[ScottL]

Who's going to play O'Reilly in the porno version, "Fox And Friends With Benefits?"

 

[superbeets]

Fired O'Reilly's name is ERASED from his Fox show as deadpan fill-in host Dana Perino spends just a MINUTE saying goodbye to the 'undisputed king of cable news' after his 20 years at network

Bill O'Reilly's name was unceremoniously erased from his own Fox News show on Wednesday night hours after he was fired over mounting sexual harassment claims. Emotionless fill-in host Dana Perino (pictured main) spent just over one minute bidding farewell to the man who hosted the show for 20 years. Perino called O'Reilly (pictured top left and bottom right in Vatican City with his son on Wednesday where he met with Pope Francis ) the 'undisputed king of Cable News', as there was no sign that O'Reilly had once hosted, The Factor, when it aired at 8pm. Furthermore, the network removed 'O'Reilly' out of the show's title, as the opening graphic at the start of the show also referred to it as just The Factor. The adjustments come hours after Rupert Murdoch announced that he was terminating the network's most popular host in a letter on Wednesday afternoon that was signed by himself and his sons, Lachlan and James.

 

[Dave007inVegas]

I guess you were wrong.

It's not the first time and it won't be the last. We'll see what happens next when the ratings tank.

 

[roadreeler57]

SIGN THE PETITION! : bit.ly/bill-oreilly-petition

����
The following petition has been launched by We the People to return Bill O’Reilly to Fox News.
Millions of Americans support Bill O’Reilly - do you?

 

[SheriffJoe]

It's not the first time and it won't be the last. We'll see what happens next when the ratings tank.

James Murdoch is in charge now and he's a progressive. It's all downhill now for Fox News.

Everything liberals touch turns to crap.

 

[ScottL]

Someone alert us as to not the next, but the FIRST internet petition to ever amount to anything. IOW the batting average of internet petitions is .000 lifetime.